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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. roll — a cake
  7. branch — a division
  8. season — in sport
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. fall — to drop
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. season — of the year
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. tube — the underground
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. tube — a container
  18. roll — a list
  19. fall — to drop
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. plane — a tool
  23. fall — the season
  24. toast — bread

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com